HERCA Statement on the Fukushima accident

HERCA members are currently actively involved in the follow up of the situation in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and its aftermath, in establishing the eventual radiation protection measures at national level and in informing the public. HERCA members inform that the air masses from the dispersion of the releases from the Fukushima accident have reached Europe. The radioactivity level is very low and will not have any consequences in Europe, in particular for human health or for the environment. HERCA, which has worked since its origin in several fields including nuclear emergency management, reaffirms the strong need for a common understanding and common approach in the field of emergency preparedness in Europe.

The Association of the Heads of European Radiological protection Competent Authorities, wishes to express its utmost sympathy for the serious and difficult situation of the Japanese people.

The European Radiological protection Competent Authorities are currently actively involved in the follow up of the situation if the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), in establishing the eventual radiation protection measures at national level following the events in Japan and in informing the public.

Regarding radioactive releases from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant since 12 March and their potential impact in Europe, HERCA confirms that air masses containing radioactivity from these releases have reached Europe. The radioactivity level of the air masses is very low and will not have any consequences in Europe in particular for the human health and for the environment. Consequently, no protective actions are required in the European territory.

The first results of measurements of radioactivity in the air have been made available by several European countries. These results, coherent with the measurements in the United States and Canada, confirm a very high dilution of radioactivity in the northern hemisphere, very widely dispersed in the oceans and the continents of North America and Europe.

HERCA wishes to facilitate the understanding of this event at the European level. With this aim, a link to national radiological environmental networks is available from the HERCA website as well as more information and data on radioactivity in the air.

Following the events in Japan, HERCA reaffirms the need for increased co-operation between radiological protection competent Authorities and continue to promote the exchange of experience and learning from each other’s best practices. This event stresses more than ever the need for a common understanding and whenever possible, a common approach in the field of nuclear emergency management. It is important to learn immediate and deferred lessons from the Fukushima accident. These lessons will be taken into account in the future work of HERCA in this field.